Fuel burner nozzle



F 2, 1965 D. D. GROSS 3,168,131

FUEL BURNER NOZZLE Filed June 6, 1961 INVENTOR. DANIEL D. GROSS ATTORNEYUnited States Patent ()fifice flbbjiii Patented. Feb. 2, 1965 3,163,131FUEL BURNER NQZZLE Daniel D. Gross, 7 Sparrow Lane, Levittown, N.Y.,

assignor of one-sixth each to Milton L. Tolmach, East Willis.on, N.Y.,Gwenne Dominick, Brooklyn, Nfifl,

and Al Levey, New Rochelle, NDY.

Filed June 6, 1961, Ser. No. 115,236 6 lairns. (ill. 158--76) Thisinvention relates to fuel burners and more particularly to nozzles forfuel burners.

The desideraturn of this invention is to provide a nozzle for use infuel burners that will increase the admixture or combining of fuel andair in such manner as to enhance the combustion thereof, resulting in anincrease in the areaand heat of the flame.

In prior known fuel burner systems, not specifically limited to oilburners, there has been a well recognized problem of properly atomizingor dispersing the fuel and mixing the same with the proper quantity ofair to achieve the maximum combustion of the mixture. Numerous deviceshave been tried in attempting to solve this prob lem. Certain of theseincluded the mechanical pulverization of the fuel prior to itscombustion.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple,inexpensive, yet extremely efiicient fuel burner nozzle by which fueland air may be properly mixed in 'very fine quantities to enhance thecombustability of the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fuel burner nozzle inwhich the fuel is directed into a mixing chamber, subjected to a loweror negative pressure with respect to the air about the chamber to morecompletely divide and separate the molecules of the fuel, and permittingthe same to mix and combine with a sufficient amount of air tofacilitate its enhanced combustion.

To this end, a feature of this invention resides in the details ofstructure of the fuel burner nozzle that serve to create a lower ornegative air pressure gradient in the mixer chamber with respect to theair pressure moving downstream of the chamber, thereby applying a forceon the fuel particles that tend to finely separate and cause the same toadmix or combine with a proper amount of air to enhance its combustion.

Other and further objects of this invention reside in the structures andarrangements hereinafter more fully described with reference to theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view taken substantially along lines 1-1 of FIG. 2 andillustrating the fuel burner nozzle constructed in accordance with theteaching of the invention,

FIG. 2 is an end view taken in the direction of lines 22 of FIG. 1 withportions thereof partially cut away,

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the details of the fuel burnernozzle shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,

PEG. 4 is a side view, partially in section, of a modified fuel burnernozzle constructed in accordance with the teaching of the invention, and

FIG. 5 is a cross section of FIG. 4 taken along lines Referring now tothe embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the fuel burner nozzlethereshown is generally identified by the numeral all. It is adapted tobe attached as a unit to the fuel supply nozzle 12 of any well knownfuel burner having a supply of fuel as oil or gas. Such fuel burnerapparatuses generally include a blower mechanism for creating a draftabout the nozzle 12. that is connected with the supply of fuel of theburner. So that a clearer explanation may be had of the instantinvention, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a blower in the form of apropeller-shaped member 14 for supplying a stream of air moving underpressure about and longitudinally along the fuel burner nozzle 10.Hence, the fuel burner nozzle of the instant invention is adapted to bepositioned in the path of the fast moving stream of air pressure.

The fuel burner nozzle 10 comprises a body member 16, the outer surfaceof which may be said to be frustocomically shaped, tapering inward inthe direction downstream of the movin air stream created by theoperation of the blower 14. The body member 16 is contoured at 13 tocongruously receive the usual fuel supply nozzle 12 of the fuel burnerapparatus to which the instant ininvention is adapted to be attached.For this reason, therefore, the interior of the hollowed contour 18 isthreaded at Ztl and is adapted to be screwed about and into secureengagement with the supply nozzle 12. The nozzle 12 is normally providedwith a conduit 22 that is connected with a supply of combustible fuel(not shown). In like manner, the interior of the body member 16 isprovided with a fuel inlet 24 that becomes aligned with the conduit 22when the threads 29 of the nozzle 10 are snugly and securely engagedwith those of the conventional supply nozzle 12.

Defined within the body member 16 is a mixer chamber 2d. The mixerchamber 26 is shaped in the form of a cone with the fuel inlet opening24 being at the top or narrowed end thereof while the wall of thechamber tapers outward and opens at its base at the downstream narrowedend of the body member 16. In practice, it has been found that theincluded angle of the conical wall of the chamber 26 may be varieddepending upon the size of the fuel burner to which it is attached andto the volume of fuel to be burned during a given period. However,unusually good results have been obtained when such included angle hasbeen in the order of 60.

The chamber 26 is provided with at least one but usually a plurality ofair passageways 28, the ends of which terminate in the chamber inrelatively spaced circumferential relationship about the wall thereof.The air passageways 28 extend through the body member 16 and supply themixer chamber 25 with air to be combined with the combustible fuelentering the chamber by way of the fuel inlet 24. In the presentconstruction, the air passageways 28 extend along the length of the bodymember 16 and open at a shoulder 30 thereof.

Positioned on the shoulder 30 is a shutter element 32, the interioropening or" which fits about the narrowed neck 34 of the body member.The shutter element 32 seats on the surface of the shoulder 39 forrotation relative thereto in a manner presently to be described. Beingadjustably movable on the shoulder 30 of the body member 16, the shutterelement 32 functions as a valve and is provided with a plurality ofmetering openings 36 defined in its annularly shaped body. The openings36 are adapted to be aligned with the open ends of the air passageways28 that terminate at the shoulder 30. Thus, by relative movement of theshutter element 32, a fine and careful metering of the extent or amountof air that may pass through the passageways 28 into the chamber 26 canbe accomplished. Defined in diametrically opposite portions of the bodyof the shutter element 32 are curved elongated slots 38 that are adaptedto receive therethrough a respective one of a plurality of screws ll)that serve to connect the same with the body member 16 and with adeflector or shielding means 42.

The deflector or shielding means 42 is an annularly shaped member thatis provided with a plurality of countersunk holes 44 each of which isadapted to receive a respective one of the screws 40. Each one of a pairof spacer sleeves 46 is positioned about the shanks of a respective oneof the screws 40 to properly space the shielding means 42 from theshutter element 32 while permitting the same to be secured in positionresting against the upper ledge 4-8 of the body member 16. A

assembly of the fuel burner nozzle is complete.

pair of tapped holes 50 are provided in the shoulder 30 of the bodymember 16 to receive a respective one of the threaded ends of the screws40.

When the shielding means 42 and shutter element 32 are secured in spacedrelationship by the spacer sleeves 46 to the body member 16 by Way ofthe screws 40, the If it is desired to fully open or partially close theextent of the upper ends of the air passageways 28 in order toadjustably control and vary the amount of air that will passtherethrough into the chamber 26, it is merely necessary first, toslightly loosen the screws 40 from their holes 50 thereby permittingadjustment of the shutter element 32. After the proper adjustment of theelement 32, the screws 40 are again tightened down into their tappedholes 50 to securely lock and prevent movement of the shielding means 42and the shutter element 32 relative to the body member 16.

The shielding means 42 is larger in size than that of the body member16. Because the body member 16 is here shown in conical form, theshielding means 42 has a circular outer periphery. As the descriptionproceeds, however, it will be recognized that it is merely necessarythat the shielding means be larger in size or so shaped with respect tothe body member 16 that the open upstream ends of the air passageways 28be shielded from communication with the high pressure of the surroundingairstream. It is the function of the shielding means to deflect the airstream created by the blower 14 from direct communication with andmovementinto the air passageways 28 thereby serving to shield the airpassageways 28 from the full force or pressure of the moving air stream.

In practice, the blower 14 operates to create an air stream that movesunder pressure along the length of the fuel burner nozzle 10. As the airmoves downstream, its path is deflected from direct movement into theair passageways 28 and thus the air passageways are shielded fromcommunicating the full and direct pressure of the moving air stream intothe chamber 26. However, the deflector 42 does deflect the airsufficiently to create small eddy currents of air that accumulate andquickly lose their momentum therebeh-ind. Subsequently, the airlanguishing dormantly between the deflector 42 and shutter 32 is causedto move into the passageways 28 and the chamber 26 by virtue of asuction that is created in the chamber 26 and passageways 28. It will berecognized that as the air moves downstream from the blower 14, alongthe conical shape of the body member 16 in the direction of the arrows52, it creates a suction in the chamber 26 that draws into the chamberthe air dormantly trapped in the area between the shielding means 42 andthe shutter element 32. 7

Thus, there is created a gradient of air pressure between the mouth oropen end of the chamber 26 and the interior of such chamber. Thisgradient of air pressure is lower or negative in the chamber 26 withrespect to the air pressure at the open end or mouth of the chamber.Although the resultant reaction that this negative pressure created inthe chamber 26 performs is not fully ascertainable, tests andobservations indicate that the lower or negative pressure created in thechamber has a tendency to create a vacuum that acts on the incoming fuelto tear apart and separate the molecules of the fuel as it enters thechamber at the'inlet 24. This causes the separated molecules of fuel todisperse and mix or combine evenly in a fine array with the air enteringthe chamber at the air passageways 28.

Because the suction and draft created in the direction downstream of thebody member 16 at the mouth of chamber 26 is so great, the flame 54fairly leaps out of the mouth of the chamber 26. Its intense flame,fanned by the air stream, is of such great extent that it coverssubstantially the whole of the mouth of the mixer chamber and is torntherebeyond. This separation of the flame 4 54 from the chamber 26andbody 16 completely prevents the flame from heating any part of thenozzle 16 while the air stream moving over the body continually preventsa back heating of the body by the flame.

The circumferential spacing and location of the air passageways 28 aboutthe wall of the chamber 26 and downstream of the fuel inlet 24 permitsthe proper infusion, mixture and combination of air with the particlesof fuel immediately after the fuel has been finely dispersed. The fuelbecomes finely dispersed before it reaches the air passageways 28 sincethe vacuum or negative pressure gradient is greatest in the rear of thefuel inlet 24 of the chamber 26. However, continued dispersion of thefuel particles, even after mixture with the air is accomplished as thesame is sucked and caused to move outward of the conically flaring mouthof the chamber by virtue of the high pressure created by the air streamof the blower 14 in the area 52.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 functions in substantially thesame manner as that previously described with respect to FIGS. 1, 2 and3. Hence, in order to avoid a redundant and repetitive explanation, thedetails of the modified embodiment are numbered in the series but withthe same tens and units numerals as those contained in FIGS. 1 to 3.

The fuel burner 100 of FIGS. 4 and 5 comprises a body member 116, theouter surface of which is cylindrically shaped. The body member 116 isprovided with a widened neck 134 that is threaded at 120 to receive theusual or conventional fuel supply nozzle 112 of any fuel burningapparatus. The fuel supply nozzle 112 seats within a congruouslycontoured portion 118 so that its supply conduit 122 is aligned with afuel inlet 124 that opens into a mixer chamber 126. The mixer chamber126 is defined within the cylindrically shaped body member 116 and isgenerally also cylindrical in shape.

- A plurality of air passageways 128 extend through the body member 116and provide a communication of substantially dormantly atmospheric airto the interior of the chamber 126 in a direction downstream orlongitudinally spaced from the fuel inlet 124. The extent or size of theair passageways 128 or the amount of air that the same may communicateto the chamber 126 is capable of be ing metered or varied by aring-shaped rotatably adjustable shutter element 132 that functions as avalve and is positioned about the body member 116. The shutter element132 is provided with a plurality of metering openings 136 that areadapted to be aligned with respective ones of the passageways 128 andfor movement relative thereto by the rotation of the shutter element 132to vary the amount of air that will move through the same. Guidedrotation of the shutter element 132 and subsequent securement of thesame from accidental rotation is afforded by the screws 140 passingthrough the elongated slots 138.

In order to deflect the full force or pressure of the air stream movingdown lengthwise along the fuel burner nozzle 100 and to shield thepassageways 128 from receiving and then communicating the force of suchair stream to the chamber 126, there is provided a deflector orshielding means 142. As in the prior embodiment 10, the shielding means142 is of larger peripheral extent than the air receiving end-s of thepassageways 128 thereby effectively shielding such passageways from theforces or pres sure of the air stream. This results in creating a higherair pressure or gradient about and at the open end or mouth of thechamber 126 than that created within the chamber 126.

The deflector or shielding means 142 thus permits the creation of apressure gradient between the interior of the chamber 126 and at themouth thereof. The function that is accomplished as a result of thisconstruction has been observed to be similar to that described withrespect to the embodiment 10 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The longitudinalspacing between the air passageways 128 and the fuel inlet 124 permitssufficient lapse of time for the proper diffusion, even separation anddispersal of the molecules of the fuel before the name mixes with therelatively slow moving low pressure air entering the chamber 126 by wayof the air passageways 128.

The constructions of embodiments and 100 thus enable more completeseparation or atomization of the fuel particles, a fine and evendispersal of such particles in the mixing chamber, and a complete andeffective admixing and combination of the fine fuel particles with theair moving into the chamber at a relatively slow speed. It has beenobserved that each air passageway 28 and 128 has, in effect, become anindividual burning nozzle and which, because of the gradient ordifferences in air pressures to which the chamber 26 or 126 issubjected, flames as at 54 in embodiment 10, a point well beyond themouth of the chamber. As a consequence, the nozzle bodies 16 and 116 areunaffected by the flame and are constantly cool.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to severalpreferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that variousomissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of thedevices illustrated and in their operations may be made by those skilledin the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It isthe intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scopeof the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a fuel burner having means for producing a stream of air, anozzle, said nozzle comprising a body positioned in said stream of airand having a chamber with an opening at one end positioned downstream ofand in a direction away from said air stream producing means, the airstream moving about the outside of said nozzle body toward and aboutsaid opening and therebeyond, fuel inlet means in direct communicationwith said chamber and spaced from said opening, air passage meansdefined in said body between said opening and said air stream producingmeans and converging toward said chamber to communicate air into saidchamber from said stream of air to a portion of said chamber in thespace between said fuel inlet means and said opening of said chamber,means fixed with respect to said nozzle between said air streamproducing means and said air passage means in the direct path of the airstream to shield said air passage means from the direct movement of airfrom the air stream whereby air moving through said air passage meansand into said chamber is at a pressure less than the pressure of thestream of air moving about said body and said opening.

2. In a fuel burner having means for producing an air stream, a nozzle,said nozzle comprising a body having a plurality of outer surfaces inthe path of movement of said air stream, a chamber defined in said bodyand having an opening therein positioned downstream of and in adirection away from said air stream producing means, the air streammoving about said outer surfaces toward and about said opening andtherebeyond, fuel supply means to supply fuel directly into said chamberspaced from said opening, a plurality of air passageways having inletsdefined in one of said plurality of outer surfaces between said openingand said air stream producing means, said air passageways being arrangedin converging relationship to supply air into said chamber in the spacebetween said fuel supply means and said opening of said chamber, andanother of said outer surfaces on said nozzle being larger than said oneouter surface and being in the direct path of said air stream betweensaid air stream producing means and said inlets to shield said inletsfrom the direct path of movement of the air stream whereby the airstream is diverted from direct movement into said air passageways sothat air communicated to '6 said chamber through said air passageways isat a pressure less than the pressure of the air stream moving about andbeyond the opening of said chamber.

3. In a fuelburner having means for producing an air stream, a nozzle,said nozzle comprising a body having a plurality of spaced surfaces inthe path of movement of said air stream, a chamber in said body havingan opening, means to supply fuel directly into said chamber and spacedfrom said opening, a plurality of restricted air passageways eachexhausting air into said chamber and having an inlet defined in one ofsaid spaced surfaces, said plurality of air passageways being arrangedin converging relationship with each other to supply air into saidchamber in the space between said fuel supply means and said opening ofsaid chamber at a pressure less than the pressure of the air streammoving about said body and beyond said opening of said chamber, means onsaid nozzle to vary the size of said air passageway inlets, another ofsaid spaced surfaces being on said nozzle be tween said air streamproducing means and said inlets of said air passageway, said other ofsaid spaced surfaces being larger than said one surface whereby saidinlets of said air passageways are protected from the direct movement ofthe air stream thereinto.

4. In a fuel burner having means to produce an air stream, a nozzlecomprising a body in said air stream and tapering inward in a directiondownstream of said air stream, a conically shaped chamber in said bodytapering outward and being open at one end thereof in a direction awayfrom and downstream of said air stream, the air stream moving about theoutside of said nozzle body toward and about said opening andtherebeyond, fuel inlet means in direct communication with said chamberat the narrow end thereof, a plurality of air passages of uniformdiameter relatively spaced from each other and defined in a circle in aportion of said body, said air passages extending through said body incommunication with said air stream and having their outlets arranged insaid chamber in converging relationship to provide air communicationbetween said air stream moving about said body to said chamber betweensaid fuel inlet and open end, and means immovably fixed on said nozzleto shield said air passages from the direct movement of air of said airstream thereinto, said shield means being larger than said portion ofsaid body in which said air passages are defined.

5. In a fuel burner nozzle as in claim 4, and means on said nozzle tovary the amount of air moving through said air passages and into saidchamber.

6. In a fuel burner having means for producing a moving air stream, anozzle, said nozzle comprising a body in the path of the moving airstream, a chamber in said body having an opening in an end thereof in adirection opposite said air stream producing means downstream of saidmoving air stream and, fuel inlet means in said chamber spaced from saidopening thereof, said body having an outer peripheral surface in thepath of movement of said air stream, the air stream moving about theouter peripheral surface of said body toward and about said opening andtherebeyond, air passage means defined in said body having inletsopening at said outer peripheral surface between said opening and saidair stream producing means, said air passage means being arranged toconverge therefrom and to open into said chamber to supply air to thespace between said fuel inlet and said opening of said chamber, andshielding means fixed with respect to said body between said air passageinlets and said air stream producing means whereby the air stream movingtoward said chamber opening moves about said shielding means and isshielded thereby from direct movement into said inlets as the air streammoves about said outer peripheral surface and past said chamber openingso that air supplied from said air stream through said air passage meansto said chamber space has a pressure that is negative with 7 8 'respectto the vpressure of the air stream moving about 1,921,937 A 8/ 33Marshall 158-45 and beyondsaid opening. 2,111,432 3/38 Macchi 158--1.5 XJ 2,390,056 12/45 Cleaver et a1. 1581.5 References Cited by the Examiner2,981,320 4/61 Reed 1581.5

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 878,590 2/08 York et a1. 1581.5210,834' 8/60 Austria. 1,172,755 2/ 16 Wilson 1581.5 1,247,656 10/60France, 1,374,683 4/21 Reid 158 1.5 57 5 3 2 Peabody 15 1 5 10 JAMES W.WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner. 1,751,236 3/30 Gontard 1581- FREDERICK L.MATTESON, IR., PERCY L. PAT- 1,828,326 10/31 Lanser 1158-15 RICK, MEYERPERLIN, Examiners.

1. IN A FUEL BURNER HAVING MEANS FOR PRODUCING A STREAM OF AIR, A NOZZLECOMPRISING A BODY POSITIONED IN SAID STREAM OF AIR AND HAVING A CHAMBERWITH AN OPENING AT ONE END POSITIONED DOWNSTREAM OF AND IN A DIRECTIONAWAY FROM SAID AIR STREAM PRODUCING MEANS, THE AIR STREAM MOVING ABOUTTHE OUTSIDE OF SAID NOZZLE BODY TOWARD AND ABOUT SAID OPENING ANDTHEREBEYOND, FUEL INLET MEANS IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHAMBERAND SPACED FROM SAID OPENING, AIR PASSAGE MEANS DEFINED IN SAID BODYBETWEEN SAID OPENING AND SAID AIR STREAM PRODUCING MEANS FOR CONVERGINGTOWARD SAID CHAMBER TO COMMUNICATE AIR INTO SAID CHAMBER FROM SAIDSTREAM OF AIR TO A PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAIDFUEL INLET MEANS AND SAID OPENING OF SAID CHAMBER, MEANS FIXED WITHRESPECT TO SAID NOZZLE BETWEEN SAID AIR STREAM PRODUCING MEANS AND SAIDAIR PASSAGE MEANS IN THE DIRECT PATH OF THE AIR STREAM TO SHIELD SAIDAIR PASSAGE MEANS FROM THE DIRECT MOVEMENT OF AIR FROM THE AIR STREAMWHEREBY AIR MOVING THROUGH SAID AIR PASSAGE MEANS AND INTO SAID CHAMBERIS AT A PRESSURE LESS THAN THE PRESSURE OF THE STREAM OF AIR MOVINGABOUT SAID BODY AND SAID OPENING.